Tired of bringing home the same old mugs and t-shirts? There are so many unique Disney World souvenirs to choose from in the park! And some of the best Disney souvenir ideas are totally affordable.
1. Disney World Silhouettes
Visiting Disney World with little ones? You need to commemorate the trip with a silhouette. They’re one of the best Disney World souvenirs – personalized and cheap. These portraits are done FAST – our very active toddler easily sat still for the few seconds it took the artist to create his masterpiece. Best of all, they’re affordable and you can get up to three copies at a time. They’re the perfect grandparent gift!
Silhouette artists are stationed at Magic Kingdom, along Main Street and in Liberty Square. You can also find them in Disney Springs and near France in the Epcot World Showcase. Pricing starts at $15 and you can add a frame for an additional charge.
2. Classic Mickey Ears Hat
One of my favorite souvenirs for the littlest guests is to pop into The Chapeau on Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom for a classic Mickey ears hat. They cast members can monogram the hats while you explore the park. And they make for adorable photos of toddlers and children.
Kids love to play dress-up with them long after your trip. Or, display them on a shelf as a reminder of the amazing trip you had and how little they once were.
3. Disney World Christmas Ornaments
I pick up a new Christmas ornament on every family trip we take to Walt Disney World. Travel ornaments are such a great souvenir option because they don’t take up much space. And since they only come out once a year, they don’t fade into the background the way some year-round souvenirs can.
Disney has a zillion ornaments for you to choose from. They can be found in every park, though I love the Christmas shops in Magic Kingdom and Disney Springs best. In both locations they’re happy to personalize most ornaments for you with names and/or dates.
Special ornaments are also created for events and festivals. We have one from the first time we attended the Flower & Garden festival. And there are always cute year specific options, some of which have space for a photo.
4. Pick-a-Pearl at Epcot
Kids LOVE this souvenir experience. And it’s so fun to watch, I often pop in just to check it out when I’m exploring the world showcase! Located inside Mitsukoshi (in the Japan Pavilion in Epcot), pick-a-pearl is an over the top shopping experience. First, you chose an oyster from a tank. Then a cast member cuts open your oyster to reveal your pearl (or if you’re really lucky, sometimes two). The staff is really enthusiastic, exclaiming over your selection and drumming enthusiastically as each oyster is opened.
Once revealed, the pearl will be measured, bagged and given to you as a souvenir. There’s a flat fee of $17, but you can upgrade the experience by having your pear set into custom jewelry while you wait. The Disney settings are expensive, but if you plan ahead you can pick up an affordable one online (like this sweet pumpkin carriage pendant) to bring with you.
Pro tip: rumor has it that the hairiest, ugliest oysters are more likely to contain two pearls.
5. Adopt a Banshee – Disney Souvenir
Visiting Animal Kingdom? Kids love the adopt a banshee experience at The Rookery inside Windtraders within Pandora – The World of Avatar. This one is on the pricier side (and price varies based on which Banshee you choose), but guests can select from 10 different styles. These lifelike, interactive toys have heads, wings and mouths you can move and make banshee noises.
6. Design Your Own Lightsaber or Droid
Now that Star Wars land is opening, the design your own lightsaber experience is getting a major upgrade. Reservations are highly recommended and may be made up to 180 days in advance. Book a Savi’s Workshop reservation to make a custom lightsaber, or a Droid Depot reservation to design a droid. Prices vary, with lightsabers starting at $199 and droids at $99.99.
Note that each of these experience reservations are limited to one builder and one guest. At least one person in the party must be 14+ and only the builder will be able to create a droid or lightsaber. Disney is recommending the droid experience for guests 3+ years of age and the lightsaber experience for guests 5+ years of age.
7. Pressed Pennies Disney World Souvenirs
Pressed pennies and elongated coins have long been a favorite Walt Disney World souvenir. It used to cost 51 cents per pressed penny, but recently Disney has begun upgrading many of the machines. The newer pressed penny machines charge $1 and the penny is provided by the machine. Check out the pressed penny map on the Disney website for the current list of locations. With dozens of machines throughout the Walt Disney World property, you’ll find numerous designs to choose from.
8. Disney Pins
Pin trading is a big deal at Disney World. Check out our Disney Pin Trading Guide for an overview of pin trading. Pins can be found in almost every Disney store and there are trading boards throughout the parks. Hit up Pin Traders in Disney Springs for the largest selection.
Consider collecting your favorite characters, or pins to commemorate favorite rides, special events you attended, or the resort you stayed at. These small, intricate souvenirs are a great way to remember a Disney trip.
9. Epcot Passport Kit
Epcot World Showcase Passport Kits can be purchased in almost any shop in Epcot. The kit comes with a toy passport and stickers. You can then have the passport stamped at the Kidcot Fun Stops in each of the 11 World Showcase Pavilions. They make a great souvenir for kids and are a fun way to encourage them to tour the World Showcase. Some cast members even draw a little picture or write a cute message when they add their stamp!
10. Monorail Play Set
At $99.99 this playset is a pricey option, but so much fun. And if you really want to go all out, it can be paired with Cinderella’s Castle and a model of The Contemporary resort to create a larger playset.
The monorail playset can be found in Magic Kingdom, Disney Springs, and Epcot if you would like to check it out in person. And this is one of those souvenirs you may prefer to ship home – it would be a bit bulky to take on a plane.
11. Character Autograph Book
Kids love collecting autographs and an autograph book can be a great way to encourage a shy child to interact with their favorite characters. Disney sells autograph books in the parks, but I prefer ordering one of their official ones with Amazon Prime – check out this adorable design!
Note that the same book is a few dollars cheaper in park. But they’re a nice way to get kids excited about an upcoming trip. And bringing our autograph book with us means we won’t chance going to our first character meet and greet before we get an opportunity to pick one up.
One of the most creative ideas I’ve seen is bringing along this sweet Disney Character Encyclopedia. Last time I was in line for a character, one family was asking Minnie Mouse to sign her photograph. It’s a great way to make a fun book even more special for kids. Looking for something a bit smaller? Ask the characters to sign Everything I Need to Know I Learned From Disney.
Don’t forget to check out Disney Autograph Tips (You Need to Know!). And if you’d prefer a custom autograph book, there are some adorable options on Etsy and a ton of ideas on Pinterest for creating your own! I’ve compiled some of the best autograph book ideas to the board below.
12. Mickey Rice Crispy Bars
I typically hate rice crispy treats. But the ones at Disney? They’re delicious! Best of all, they travel well. We always try to bring a few back from our trip to enjoy over those first few days home when the post vacation melancholy hits.
Disney cookies and treats also make great small gifts for family and friends who helped you out while you were away. It’s always nice to bring a little something back for the friend who picks up our mail and our dog sitter.
13. Disney Cookbooks
These days we find most of our recipes online. But I know I’m not the only cookbook lover out there! Disney makes some great cookbooks and they’re a wonderful souvenir, or gift for the chef in your life. I can’t wait to check out the new Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge cookbook next time we visit Hollywood Studios.
14. Starbucks Disney “You Are Here” Mugs
Shopping for a coffee fan? The Disney World park versions of the Starbucks collectible You Are Here mugs are so cute. I’m not even a coffee fan and I’m obsessed with these things. Pop into the Starbucks locations in Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios to purchase the respective souvenir mugs.
15. Disney Snow Globes
Disney makes some adorable snow globes. And kids adore them! They’re a great souvenir option for families who visit Disney World often and are looking for a souvenir their child can collect over the years. And just like Christmas ornaments, they’re easy to tuck away for the holidays so the magic feels fresh every time you break them out to get in the Christmas spirit!
16. Disney World Post Cards
Post cards are plentiful and cheap. Personalize your Disney World souvenir by jotting down your favorite memories each day on a postcard and mailing it home. Post cards make a great addition to a photo album or scrap book and it’s always fun to look back at all the little things kids say and love each trip. You can even pop into City Hall on Main Street USA in Magic Kingdom and ask them to stamp your card with a Magic Kingdom postmark!
17. Charm Bracelet
Charm bracelets make a great Disney World souvenir for anyone looking for a gift they can add to over time. Whether you add a new charm every vacation, or for big life milestones, they’re a wonderful personalized keepsake. Alex and Ani and Pandora both sell Disney charms. There’s a Disney charm to commemorate your first visit and this castle charm is always a classic.
18. Beach Towels
Look forward to breaking them out each summer.
19. Disney Parks Matchbox Bus
These collectible buses are affordable, and a hit with toddlers. Eight months after our last family vacation, this toy buy still gets daily use. I know the kids will love adding to their collection as future versions are released.
Disney Souvenir Shopping Tips
- If you’re staying on-site, Disney will send your purchases back to your hotel for free. Alternatively, for off-site guests, you can send your souvenirs to the front of the park and pick them up near guest services on your way out.
- For large souvenirs, it’s often easier to purchase them on ShopDisney.com and have them shipped directly to your home
- Most items are also available for online purchase, but some are unique to their location in the parks. If you see something you love, it’s best to buy then, rather than wasting time trying to track it down again later. (I speak from experience – one trip I found a holiday ornament I loved and assumed I could get on Main Street when I visited Magic Kingdom later in the week. Instead I learned it was sold out everywhere except the shop I’d spotted it in Epcot!)
- Looking for cheap souvenirs? The Walmart in Orlando has a huge Disney Souvenir sections. Magnets and key chains can be found for $1-$2 apiece!
- Disney Character Warehouse in the Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets is another source of cheap souvenirs. Selection can be hit or miss and sometimes the lines are long, but it’s often worth a look.
Unique Disney World Souvenirs That Are No Longer Available
I loved these two souvenir options but, unfortunately, they’re both been been discontinued. Many best Disney souvenir lists online haven’t been updated, so if you have either of these on your wish list, it’s better to know now.
Haunted Portraits – Discontinued Disney World Souvenirs
Haunted Mansion is one of my all-time favorite rides. We’re attending our first Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party this fall and had planned to have haunted portraits taken as a souvenir for our trip. Unfortunately, the Memento Mori gift shop stopped offering them in August 2019.
Mr. Potato Head Parts – Discontinued Disney World Souvenirs
I’m so glad I picked up this souvenir while my toddlers were still babies. Until 2017, if you visited Once Upon a Toy in Disney Springs, you could fill a box with Mr. Potato Head accessories for a flat fee. Many were Disney themed and exclusive to the parks – our kids love to play with the Star Wars, Buzz Lightyear, Goofy and Mickey accessories that were offered.
Do you have a plan for souvenir shopping during your Disney vacation? What’s on your Disney World souvenirs wish list?
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